Mechanism for severing molten glass



Aug. 17, 1937.

0 F. L. 'o. WADSWORTH MECHANISM FOR SEVERING MOLTEN GLASS Original Filed March 21, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 \NVENTOR Patented Aug. 17, 1937 2,090,082 MECHANISM FOR SEVERING MOLTEN GLASS Frank L. 0. Wadsworth, Pittsbu to Ball Brothers Company, Muncie,

corporation of Indiana rgh, Pa., assignor Ind., a

Original application March 21, 1934, Serial No. 716,626. Divided and this application June 24, 1935, Serial No. 28,096. Renewed January 8,

20 Claims.

This invention relates to the art of severing individual mold charges from a suspended stream of molten glass, and more specifically to improvements in the method and apparatus for severing a continuously moving and pulsating stream without retarding or otherwise interfering with the flow of material, and is a division of my application serially Numbered 716,626, filed March 21, 1934.

One of the important objects oi. my invention is to provide means for severing a continuously moving stream of molten glass-having a succession of enlarged sections connected together by intervening neck portions of lesser diameterat the points of reduced section into a series of mold charges without interfering with or retarding the flow through the orifice during the severing operation and with the minimum chilling or distortion of the portion of the stream engaged by the severing elements.

Another object of this invention resides in a shear mechanism for periodically severing such a stream of molten glass at its point of reduced cross section which will actually assist the flow through the orifice and accelerate the delivery or removal of the successively severed sections to the receiving molds or receptacles in which they are to be subsequently fabricated.

These and other objects which will be hereinafter made apparent to those skilled in this particular art are accomplished by means of this invention, two embodiments of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a vertical section through the center of an improved apparatus for carrying out my process of severing a stream of molten glass and illustrates the position of the apparatus relative to the fiow orifice of a forehearth or container for the molten glass;

Fig. 2 is a plan view, partially in horizontal section of the apparatus illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 1 and illustrates the position of the shears as they are being retracted at the end of a severing operation:

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on line IV-IV of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a view in end elevation of the shear mechanism;

Fig. 6 is a view in vertical section of another embodiment of my improved shear mechanism;

Fig. '7 is a plan view of the shear mechanism illustrated in Fig. 6; and

Fig. 8 is a view in end elevation of the apparatus and illustrates the gears for driving the shears.

In general my improved apparatus for severing a stream of glass into individual mold charges comprises a pair of opposed shear blades which are mounted on each side of a stream of glass S which is being fed in a molten glass may be continuous stream through The fed through the orifice F by any suitable feeding mechanism, such as the usual sticky plunger and air bell type of feeders (none shown) which are adapted to feed the glass in a continuous but pulsating stream through the orifice F to provide a series of regularly recurrent enlarged sections which are connected together by portions of reduced section.

To sever the stream S at these points of reduced section, the opposed shear blades are moved into cutting engageme nt with each other during the period of decelerated or reduced flow, i. e., at the time of the formation of reduced sections of the stream to prevent the stub of glassprotruding through the o rifice F from piling up on the shear blades during the time they are in contact with the stream, the direction of flow the blades are moved in of the stream during the severing operation. This movement of the shear blades in the direction preferably at a speed flow of the stream,

of fiow of the stream S is greater than the rate of and consequently a force is applied to each individual gob or mold charge severed from the stre am which accelerates the delivery of the severed gob or charge to the receiving mold or receptacle.

To prevent the stub of glass projecting through the orifice F after the severance from being distorted, I prefer to retract the shear blades while they are in their lowermost position or when they are still moving downwardly so that they cannot interfere with the oncoming stream of glass or with the next succeeding mold charge. This downward movement of the shear blades with the stream during the severing operation not only tends to accelerate the delivery of the severed charge to the receiving mold, but also assists in and speeds up the oncoming flow through the Referring to the drawings in detail, the shear mechanism illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive,

comprises a pair of opposed shear blades l0--l0a,

of the usual reentrant V or cats eye cutting the blade supporting otally upper ends of a dual l4-l5 and Ila-15a,

members Il-ila is pivattached. at l2-l3 and I2a-l3a to the pair of parallel link arms which are respectively secured to bearing sleeves I I and Ila-l is that are rotatably mounted on cross shafts |2-|l and |2a-|2a. The ends of the shafts |2 -|2 are secured in the sides of a U-shaped member 20 box frame 2| that supports the shear mechanism, as a whole, and which itself is adJustably supported on the rods22 depending from the bottom plate of the forehearth I. The ends of the shafts Ila-Ila are secured to the sides of a second U-shaped member 22 which is slidably mounted within the legs of the U-shaped member 20.

Each of the sleeve members |2-|2a is provided with a pair of spaced arms 24 and 240 which extend downwardly therefrom, and each pair carries a roller 25-2511, the purpose of which will be hereinafter described. Each pair of links |4--|2 and tn-Ila is normally held in a substantially vertical position (as shown in full lines in Fig. 1) by means of tension springs 20-2011 whose ends are attached to each set of links on opposite sidesof their shaft supports ll-ls or Ila-Ito.

When the shear blades |-0-| 0a are to be closed, the U-shaped members 20 and 22 are moved in opposite directions on the frame 22, by meansoi' a cylinder-piston assembly 20-2l, which is disposed between the crossheads of the U-shaped members 20-22 with the outer end of the cylinder 20 attached to member 20 and the inner end of the piston 2| attached to the U-shaped member 22. The cylinder and the piston are concurrently moved in opposite directions by a suitable motive fluid, such as compressed air, which is admitted to the cylinder through a pipe 22 slidably mounted in the connected heads oi the U-shaped member 20 and the cylinder 20, and connected to a pipe 22 leading to a suitable timer valve (not shown) adapted to periodically connect the cylin der 20 to a source of motive fluid such as com- 40 pressed air, and to atmosphere. The cylinder and piston members 20-2| are normally held in their closed position and are retracted when the timer valve is connected to atmosphere by means of coil springs 24-24 whose opposite ends are 45 attached to the crossheads of the U-shaped mem-.

bers 20 and 22.

When it is desired to sever the stream of molten glass flowing through the oriflce F, the timer valve, which controls the admission of motive to fluid to cylinder 20 and which is preferably operated in timed relation to the feeder mechanism, is actuated to connect the pipes 22-22 to the source of compressed air.

As soon as compressed air is introduced into 55 the cylinder 20, the piston 2| and the head of the cylinder are concurrently moved in opposite directions, and carry with them the U-shapedmembers 20-22. These moving parts are constrained to travel at the same speed relative to so the supporting frame 2| by a pair of segmental control pinions --4l mounted, one above the other, on a stud bolt 42 that is rigidly secured in the bottom plate of the frame 2|; and are arranged to engage with rack as bars 42-42a and 44-444: that are respectively attached to the U-shaped members 20 and 22. The pinion 40 engages on one side with the rack bar 42 on the member 20 and on the other side with a rack bar 44 on the member 22; while the 7 pinion 4| engages on the opposite sides with the rack bar 42a on the member 20, and'with'the rack bar 44a on the member 22 (Fig. 4).

To impart a dropping" movement to the shear blades |0-|0a so that they may travel with the molten material during the severing operationwhich is slidably mounted between the sides of a which are rotatably stops ll-llo are adjustably mounted on the frame 2| and are so positioned as to engage the rollers 28-2. as the'parallel supports 20 and 22 move in opposition to each other, and bring the cutting edges into contact with the surface of the flowing stream. As soon as this engagement occurs, the continued movement of the frames 20 and 22 rock the link arms 4-|l and Mat-lid, in opposite directions and cause the shear blades to move downwardly as they pass into and through the stream of glass (as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1). 'l'heratio between the transverse and axial movement of the cutting edges, during this severing operation, can be varied within wide limits by altering the relation between'the length and the angular inclination of the link arm elements |4-|l, Her-Ila, and 24-2411, and also by changing the position of the stops 50-2; but I prefer, in most cases, to so proportion and adjust these relationships that the shear blades will pass through the flowing stream at an angle of approximately to the axis thereof.

In order to exhaust the air from the cylinder 20 and permit the springs 24-24 to return the support members 20-22 to their original position, after the severing operation has been completed, I provide a vent valve 52 which is mounted in the crosshead of the frame 22, and which serves to normally close the outer end of the passageway 53 in the tubular piston member 2|. This valve 52 is held in its closed position by the pressure of the fluid in the cylinder 30; and is adapted to be opened by the engagement of the valve stem 54, with a lug 60 on the sleeve Ila, when the latter has been rocked to such position-by the inward movement of the correlated parts 222|--as to completely close the shear blades |0-|0a.

It is desirable to hold the shear blades |0-|0a in their depressed position, while they are being retracted, and thusprevent them from coming into contact with the oncoming end of the severed stream; and in order to effect this result I provide a pair of locking dogs SB-Sla which are carried by arms 00-02:: that are pivotally mounted on the members 20-22 and which engage respectively with lugs 60-00a, on the sleeves l1 and Ila when the link arms l5 and |5a have been rocked inwardly to the shear closing position, and thus prevent the return springs 26-261: from acting on these links until the dogs -58a have been released. When the blades are fully retracted, the upturned ends of the arms 59-50:: are engaged by angle clips 6 |-6|a, secured to the sides of the frame 2|, and the dogs or latches 52-52:: are disengaged from the lugs, thus permitting the springs 26-20a to return the parallel link systems |4-|5 and |4a-|5a to their original position.

Briefly restated, the operation of the shear mechanism is as follows: When the glass is issuing through the orifice F under the influence of gravity alone-or under the decelerated velocity of flow that occurs at the end of the down stroke of the plunger-the timer valve mechanism controlling the admission of compressed air to the cylinder 20 is actuated and motive fluid is then delivered to the cylinder. As the air enters the cylinder and passes through the hollow piston 3|, it closes the valve 52 and the piston and the cylinder are concurrently moved in opposite directions, at the same rate of speed, thus advancing the shear blade carriages 20-22 toward the stream flowing through the oriflce F. This movement brings the rollers 25-2511 into engagement with the stops 50-50a at a time when the shear blades are about to enter the flowing stream; and the further movement of the members 20-23 cause the parallel link systems I4l5 and I4a-I5a to rock inwardly, on their shaft supports I8I9 and I8a-I9a, thus imparting a concurrent transverse and downward movement to the shear blades I--I0a as they cut through 10 the stream. At the completion of this cutting 0 return the shear blade carriages -23 to their original relationship (Fig, .1). At, or near, the end of this return movement, the upturned ends of the arms 59-59a are engaged by the clips Iii-Bio, and the locking elements 58-60 and 58a-60a are disengaged, to allow the springs G-26a to retract the link arms and raise the connected shear blade supports III Ia to their initial upper position, in readiness for the next severing operation. The time relationship of these successive return movements will be readily understood by referring to Fig. 3, which shows the various parts of the mechanism in the positions which they occupy at an intermediate point in the backward travel of the carriages 20-23. It will of course be understood that at some time prior to the release of the locking elements 58-60 and 58a60a, the timer valve has been again operated to close the connection between the source of compressed air and the line 33 and thus shut off the flow of compressed air to the cylinder 30.

In Figs. 6 to 8, inclusive, I have illustrated another exempliflcation of my improved shear mechanism for periodically severing a stream S of molten glass which is being fed by any suitable feeding mechanism through an orifice F in a forehearth Ia in a continuous stream of regularly recurrent, enlarged sections which are connected together by portions of reduced areas. Thisembodiment of my improved shear mechanism which is 50 also adapted to travel with the stream during the parallel cranks I04.

severing operation comprises a pair of opposed shear blades I00 that are mounted on plates I02, each of which is pivotally supported on a pair of The ends of the cranks I04 ext-end through and are journaled in bearings I06 on the sides of a box-shaped frame I00 that is suspended from the bottom of the forehearth Ia by means of the posts H0. The ends of each of the cranks I04 extend through the sides of the box frame I08 and are provided with miter gears l I2-I I4 that are in engagement with corresponding miter gears II6-IIO which are secured to side shafts I20, I22, respectively. These side shafts I20-I22 are journaled in bosses I2II25 projecting outwardly from the sides of the frame I08 and are connected to revolve in opposite directions by spur gears I28--I30. One of these spur gears I30 is secured to an elliptical gear I32 that is engaged by a companion elliptical gear I34 which is attached to the side of a larger worm wheel I36 and which is mounted to revolve freely on the adjacent end bearing on the side shaft I20. The worm wheel I36 is continuously re- 5 volved at a substantially uniform speed by a worm I38 on a continuously driven'motor shaftl40 from which the feeder mechanism is also preferably driven.

From this construction it is apparent that the uniform angular velocity of the connected gear elements I36-I30 is periodically varied or changed by the elliptical gears I32--I3l into an alternately accelerated and decelerated movement of the side shafts I20I22.

When the apparatus is in operation the cranks I04 carrying the shear blade supports I02 are continuously rotated with the ends of cutting elements I00 describing a circle, and as a result, are symmetrically moved toward and away from each other in parallel planes, and are also moved alternately down and upward during successive half revolutions of the shafts I20I22. The arrangement of the elliptical gears I32-I3l is such that the greatest velocity is imparted to the shafts I20I22 at the time when the shear blades I00 are cutting through the flowing material S and at this time the shear blades are also traveling downwardly at their maximum speed which is preferably greater than the movement or rate of flow of the stream S through the orifice F.

From the foregoing description it is readily apparent that with my improved shear mechanism the continuously flowing stream of molten material is cut in such a way that the piling up" of the material on the shear blades is avoided by the movement of the shear blades downwardly with the stream during the severing operation, and distortion of the severed stub is also avoided by retracting the shear blades when they are in their lowermost position or while they are still moving downwardly, and as a result they cannot interfere with the oncoming stream of glass or with the formation of the next mold charge. This downward movement of the shear blades with the stream during the cutting operation, in fact, assists the oncoming flow and since the shear blades move downwardly at a greater rate of speed than the rate of flow of the stream, they also accelerate the delivery of the severed gob to the receiving mold or receptacle ofthe forming machine where the gob is to be fabricated. I desire it to be understood that I have devised various shearing structures and shearing procedures for severing a continuously flowing stream of molten glass to produce mould charges and in which the shear blades move downwardly with the stream and that such structures and procedures not only distinguish structurally and functionally from the features herein claimed but form the subject-matter of and are claimed in co-pending applications for patents.

With the preceding disclosure as a guide, those skilled in the art will be able to recognize and appreciate other advantages of the present invention which may not have been specifically pointed out herein and will be able to derive various other forms of apparatus that might be used to practice my improved mode of procedure without departing from the spirit of my invention or the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A severing mechanism for continuous flow feeders, comprising blades located on opposite sides of the stream to be cut, means for moving each such blade through a circular path, with the path of one blade intersecting the path of the other blade to impart a downward movement to the blades as they cross each other in cutting relation, and means for varying the speed of such movement during the operation of cutting the stream.

2. A severing mechanism for continuous flow feeders, comprising two opposed and parallel shear blades, a sliding frame for each blade, means for reciprocating said frames to move the blade toward and away from each other, means responsive to the movement of said frames in one direcl tion for moving each blade through an arc, and

means for continuously maintaining said blades in parallel relation.

3. A shear mechanism comprising opposed shear blades, means for moving said blades toward each other into cutting engagement, links connected to said blades for imparting a downward movement thereto as they approach each other in cutting engagement, means for locking said blades in their lower position, means for retracting said blades and means operable after said blades have been retracted from cutting position for releasing said blade-locking means.

4. A shear mechanism comprising a pair of opposed shear blades, adapted to be moved across age support for each blade adapted to impart a downward movement to said blades during the closing thereof, means for moving said blades to their closed and lowered position, means for releasably locking said blades in their lowered position, means for retracting said blades, means-for releasing said blade-locking means, and means for returning said blades and their linkage supports to their initial position.

5. A shear mechanism comprising a pair of opposed shear blades, a pair of parallel pivoted links supporting each of said blades, means for yieldably holding saidlinks in a vertical position, means for moving said blades toward each other, means for rocking said links to impart a downward movement to said blades during the movement thereof, means for locking said blades in their lowered position, means for retracting said blades, and means for releasing said blade-locking means during the retraction of said blades.

6. A shear mechanism comprising a pair of opposed shear blades, a pair ofparallel link mechanisms pivotally connected at one end to each of said blades, movable means for supporting the other ends of each set of link mechanisms, means for moving said link mechanism supporting means to move said blades into cutting engagement with each other, means for rocking said link mechanisms to impart a downward movement to the blades while in cutting position, means for yieldingly locking said blades in their lowered position, means for retracting the link supporting mechanisms, and means for releasing said blade-locking means.

'7. A shear mechanism comprising a pair of opposed shear blades, rotatable means, for supporting said blades in parallel horizontal planes, means for rotating said blade supporting means to move the blades in intersecting circular paths 65 whereby the blades cross each other in cutting engagement, and means for alternately accelere ating and decelerating said blade rotating means.

8. A shear mechanism comprising a pair of opposed shear blades, a pair of cranks pivotal- 70 1y connected to each of said blades, means for rotating said cranks to move said blades through a circle and into and out of cutting engagement with each other, and means for periodically varying the speed of rotation of said cranks.

7 9. A shearmechanismi'or continuous flow feedeach other in cutting engagement, a pivoted linkthe stream to be severed, a pivoted linkage support for each blade, means for turning said linkage supports to move said blades into and with the stream to accomplish a severance thereof, means for releasably locking said blades in their lowermost position, and means for retracting the locked blades from contact with the stream.

10. A shear mechanism for continuous flow feeders comprising a blade located on each side of the stream to be severed, a pivoted linkage support for each blade, means for turning said linkage supports to move said blades into and with the stream to accomplish a severance thereof, means for releasably locking said blades in their lowermost position, means for withdrawing the locked blades from severing position along a line at right angles to the stream, and means for releasing said blade-locking means after the blades have been withdrawn.

11. A shear mechanism for continuous flow feeders comprising blades located on each side of the stream to be severed, means for moving said blades into and with the stream to.accomplish a severance thereof, means for releasably locking said blades in their lowermost position, means for withdrawing the locked blades from severing position along a line at right angles to the stream, means for releasing the blade-locking means after the blades have been withdrawn irom contact with the stream and while still in their lowermost position, and means for returning said blades to their initial position.

12. A mechanism for severing a continuously flowing stream of molten glass comprising a pair of opposed shear blades, means for moving each of said blades through intersecting circular paths to cause said blades to cross each other in cutting engagement with said stream, and means for periodically varying the speed of said blades along their respective paths.

13. A mechanism for severing a continuously flowing stream of molten glass comprising a pair of opposed shear blades, means for rotating said blades in vertical planes in opposite directions to cause the blades to travel in intersecting circular paths and cross each other in cutting engagement with the stream, and means for periodically varying the speed of rotation of said blades.

14. A shear mechanism comprising a pair of opposed shear blades, pivoted. supports for each of said blades, and means for turning said pivoted supports to move said blades in a cycloidal path in cutting engagement with each other.

15. A shear mechanism comprising a pair of opposed shear blades, pivoted supports for each of said blades, means for turning said pivoted supports to move the blades in a cycloidal path into cutting engagement with each other, and means for shifting the pivots of said supports laterally to move said blades laterally in a straight line to retract said blades.

16. A shear mechanism comprising a pair of opposed shear blades, a pivoted link support for each blade, and means for rotating said link supports to move each blade through a circular path, said link supports being so positioned that the paths described by said blades intersect each other.

17. A shear mechanism comprising a pair of opposed shear blades, pivoted parallel links supporting each said blade, and means for turning said links to move said blades through an arcuate path into cutting engagement with each other.

18. A shear mechanism for severing a suspended stream of molten glass comprising a pair of opposed shear blades, a sliding frame for each blade, parallel links pivotally connecting each such blade with its frame, means for reciprocating said frames, means responsive to the movement of said frames in one direction for turning said parallel links to move said blades downwardly in an arcuate path into cutting engagement with each other, means for holding said blades in their lowered position, and means responsive to the movement of said frames in the opposite direction for releasing said holding means.

19. A shear mechanism for severing mould charges from a downwardly flowing stream of molten glass comprising shear blades located on opposite sides of the stream to be cut, means for moving said blades toward each other into the confines of said stream, means responsive to such movement of said blades for imparting a downward motion thereto whereby the blades move in an arcuate path while accomplishing a severance, and means for retracting said blades from the stream.

20. A shear mechanism for severing mould charges from a downwardly flowing stream of molten glass comprising shear blades located on opposite sides of the stream to be cut, means for moving said blades toward each other into the confines of said stream, means responsive to such movement of the blades for imparting a downward motion thereto whereby the blades move in an arcuate path while accomplishing a severance, and means for withdrawing each such blade in a straight line path at right angles to the axis of said stream.

FRANK L. O. WADSWORTI-I. 

